When can preschool children, grades 1 to 6 in Hanoi go back to school?

Hanoi has passed the peak of the epidemic, convenient to welcome students back to school

According to a report by the Hanoi Department of Health, as of 6pm on April 1, the city recorded 7,734 COVID-19 cases, including 2,076 community cases and 5,658 isolated cases. After peaking at 32,650 F/day, the number of new cases in Hanoi has continuously decreased and passed the peak of the epidemic. The city currently has 193,879 patients being treated and isolated at home; 199 cases are severe and critical.

According to a representative of the Hanoi Department of Health, the COVID-19 epidemic in the city has shown signs of cooling down and is under control. If at the beginning of March 2022, the number of COVID-19 cases increased sharply, even having a record number of cases (more than 32,600 cases on March 8), now it has cooled down to about 9,000 cases/day. Along with that, patients can use antiretroviral drugs early, reduce hospitalization rates and reduce mortality from COVID-19.

Meanwhile, on April 1, according to the Medical Examination and Treatment Administration (Ministry of Health), as of March 31, Hanoi currently has 193,879 patients being treated and isolated at home. 156 F0 were treated at the isolation ward; 1,254 patients in hospitals. The city has 159 mild and asymptomatic COVID-19 patients; 896 cases are moderate; 199 cases are severe and critical.

Among the severe and critical cases, there are 169 cases requiring oxygen masks and glasses frames; 3 cases had to breathe oxygen with high flow HFNC; 12 cases of non-invasive mechanical ventilation; 15 cases required invasive mechanical ventilation. The number of F0 hospitalized and the number of severe and critical F0 in Hanoi is decreasing in recent times. Currently, the rate of COVID-19 patients with severe and critical developments in Hanoi is only about 0.1% of the total number of cases being monitored and treated.

A representative of the Hanoi Department of Health said that the city has passed the peak of the epidemic. Illustration.

March 30 is the third day in a row that Hanoi has not recorded a fatal case of COVID-19 in recent months. Up to now, the total number of deaths from COVID-19 (from April 27, 2021 to present) in Hanoi is 1,320 people.

Deputy Director of Hanoi Department of Health Tran Van Chung said that in the second quarter of 2022, the city will continue to focus on the prevention and control of the COVID-19 epidemic, implementing close monitoring of the disease situation. In particular, continue to implement the booster vaccination for those who have received the 2nd dose and vaccinated for children aged 5-11 when the Ministry of Health distributes the vaccine.

Unlike Hanoi, many provinces and cities allow preschool children and students in grades 1 to 6 to go back to school from the beginning of April

Ha Nam Provincial People’s Committee decided to allow preschool children and students from grades 1 to 6 in the province to go to school directly from April 1. The Provincial People’s Committee assigns the Department of Education and Training to coordinate with the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, the People’s Committees of districts, towns and cities to direct and guide educational institutions to organize for preschool children, students, to go to school directly. ensure safety, strictly implement measures to prevent and control the COVID-19 epidemic.

Previously, from February 23, due to the high number of COVID-19 cases, all preschool children in Ha Nam temporarily stopped school, elementary and 6th grade students suspended face-to-face learning and switched to online learning. .

In Phu Tho, the Department of Education and Training announced that from April 4, students of all grades from kindergarten, primary school, junior high school to high school will return to school directly.

In Dien Bien, preschools and primary schools in Dien Bien Phu city will reopen from April 4. Meanwhile, secondary school students here switched to direct learning from March 30.

Previously, due to the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic, the People’s Committee of Dien Bien province allowed 18 educational institutions in Dien Bien Phu to temporarily stop going to school from February 22 to change the appropriate form of learning.

In Ninh Binh, the Ninh Binh Department of Education and Training decided to let the primary school level go back to school from April 4. Depending on the actual conditions, schools organize teaching 2 sessions/day and can provide students with day-boarding.

The Department emphasizes that teachers pay close attention to students’ learning, classify students according to their mastery of knowledge, especially content that cannot be learned directly, in order to organize review, consolidation and supplementation. knowledge content suitable for groups of students.

Primary school students in this province switched to online learning from February 21 due to cold rain. Then, on February 24, the Department of Education and Training issued a document on continuing to suspend school for elementary students due to the COVID-19 epidemic situation.

Preschool children and students from grades 1 to 6 in many localities have returned to school. Illustration.

In Nghe An, according to the guiding document on the province’s teaching plan in the new period issued by the Department of Education and Training, from April 4, students of all levels from preschool, primary, middle school to high school will back to school directly. To ensure the safety of students returning to school, the Nghe An Department of Education and Training requires educational institutions to adjust their care and teaching programs to ensure the school year plan.

With general education, schools need to continue to review to add transceivers, transmission lines, arrange a technical department to support lessons in online and live classes when there are students and teachers. subject to medical isolation. Nghe An Department of Education and Training notes to focus on reviewing for 9th and 12th grade students to ensure the knowledge and skills to participate in the entrance exams to 10th grade and graduate from high school in 2022.

Is it necessary to wait for enough vaccinations against COVID-19 for children to return to school?

From an expert perspective, Assoc.Prof.Dr. Tran Dac Phu – Former Director of the Department of Preventive Medicine (Ministry of Health) said that sending children back to school is extremely necessary, especially at preschool age; Do not wait for new vaccinations for children to go to school.

According to Assoc.Prof.Dr. Tran Dac Phu, the fact that children do not go to school for a long time will cause both physical and mental defects when they cannot interact with friends and teachers, thereby affecting their development. long-term development, even causing children to suffer from depression…

“Most children infected with COVID-19 usually have mild symptoms, if comparing the benefits and risks, they need to go to school. Recently, children at home tested positive a lot because we relaxed activities. , the number of infections in the community is high, when adults contract the disease to children. If the school takes good and organized epidemic prevention measures, the risk of infection is unlikely to be higher than at home”, Assoc.Prof.Dr. Tran Dac Phu said.

Thus, Hanoi’s reason “must be vaccinated to safely send children to school” is rigid when the time of the 2021-2022 school year is not much.

Sharing the same opinion, psychologist Dr. Nguyen Thi Nga, Hanoi Adolescent Psychology Research Center warned that children who stay at home for too long will face many barriers such as loss of skills and routines due to being at home for a long time, having no motivation to participate in any activity when going to school… Even, some children’s uncontrollable behavior and emotions are the result of mental health damage. Therefore, it is necessary for children to integrate into the community and have fun with their inherent interests and energy as before, Ms. Nga said.

Most localities across the country send children aged 5-11 to school even though they have not been vaccinated against COVID-19, including Ho Chi Minh City. “The fact that Hanoi has not yet decided on the time for preschool children and students from grades 1 to 6 to go to school with the excuse of waiting for a vaccine is not convincing and too cautious,” said Dr. Nga.

The COVID-19 epidemic has ‘cooled down’, many parents and teachers expect their children to return to school

The streets of Hanoi in the last days of March 2022 were crowded again. Traffic congestion is often seen as before the COVID-19 epidemic appeared and the congestion is getting worse. This shows that the ‘old normal’ rhythm of life has returned to the hustle and bustle.

Recorded in the morning of March 23, at Nga Tu So, a long line of vehicles followed. Photo: Dan Tri

After receiving a notice from the agency about returning to normal work, in the past 1 month, Mr. Nguyen Minh Khoa’s family (Kim Nguu, Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi) had to get used to the arrangement Work schedules and vacation schedules are intertwined so that the couple can take turns instructing their children to study online. The purchase of online learning equipment with Mr. Khoa and his wife is not a big problem like many families in other localities, but tutoring two young children in 3rd and 6th grade to study according to the school’s schedule when the two children not going to school is a difficult problem. In many cases, Mr. Khoa was forced to take a leave of absence to stay at home to look after his children when he could not arrange a schedule.

“My wife and I take turns taking a day off work to complete homework with our two children while studying online. Many days, both husband and wife have unexpected work schedules but cannot go to the office because they are insecure about their two young children. At home alone. In addition to food and water, the safety of the children comes first. There are many cases where the children at home were electrocuted or fell due to play, so my husband and I decided to still prioritize spending time with the children. children. Of course, this affects work”, Mr. Khoa shared.

Meanwhile, according to the comments of many teachers, especially preschool teachers, teachers also look forward to welcoming students back to school when the COVID-19 situation is no longer stressful. straight as before. The fact that children come to class, are guided, taught, tutored directly by teachers, in the opinion of many people, will have many advantages and be more effective than online teaching.

From April 2021 up to now, preschool, grade 1 to grade 6 students in the inner city of Hanoi have not been able to go to class for a day while students in many localities across the country have been to school. Specifically, from February 10, 2022, only elementary and sixth grade students in suburban areas can go to school, but on February 28, 2022, that is just over 2 weeks later, primary and sixth grade students suburban areas were notified to switch to online learning. The capital’s preschool students have not been able to go to school since the holiday from April 30 to May 1 of last year.

Regarding the issue of sending students to school, a representative of the Hanoi Department of Education and Training said that the Department is coordinating with the Department of Health to prepare vaccination plans for children 5-11 years old. According to the direction of the City People’s Committee, after implementing vaccination for this age group, the unit will plan to reopen the school, ensuring the safety of students. The Department does not have a plan to propose a time for preschool children and students from grades 1 to 6 to go back to school.

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